Breaking: EFCC Declares Ex-Minister Sylva Wanted for $14.8m Fraud Amid Coup Plot Allegations
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Bayelsa State Governor and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted for alleged financial crimes—an announcement that comes amid swirling speculation linking him to a national security investigation.
In an official notice published on Monday, the anti-graft agency accused Sylva of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.
The funds are said to be part of monies injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for a refinery project.
The declaration follows a warrant issued by the Lagos State High Court on Novem
ber 6, 2025. The EFCC has called on the public to provide information regarding Sylva’s whereabouts, listing contact details including phone lines, email addresses, and numerous office locations across Nigeria.
This development comes weeks after unconfirmed reports surfaced that security operatives had searched properties linked to Sylva as part of an investigation into an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Sources familiar with the matter claim the financial charges may be a public cover for a deeper, more sensitive national security probe.
“The financial case is solid, but the urgency stems from the need to locate and question him in connection with matters that threaten the very foundation of the state,” an anonymous insider revealed.
However, an EFCC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied any connection to a coup probe, stating: “The warrant from the Lagos High Court is for a specific case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds. Any speculation about other motives is pure fabrication.”
The presidency has yet to comment on the allegations. As the search for Sylva continues, the situation highlights the tension between a publicly stated anti-corruption drive and whispers of a graver political crisis—leaving Nigerians to navigate two competing narratives: one of high-level fraud, the other of a plot against the state.
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